Highlights from Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels – New York – April 21st, 2015

Posted on March 30, 2015

Spring’s unseasonably chilly weather can’t cool the heating up of this season’s magnificent jewelry auctions slated for next month. As the third Magnificent Jewels sale in April, Sotheby’s New York has seemingly saved the best for last.

The sale’s grand finale, the perfect 100.2-carat emerald-cut diamond, has already generated quite a buzz and will serve as a fitting culmination for the auction. The incredibly rare stone is expected to fetch upwards of $25 million. In addition to the rare and extraordinary diamond, the sale offers such a great number of gems and jewels that it was very difficult to select a few highlights.

Superb Platinum, Sapphire and Diamond Ring, Cartier, New York – Set with a cushion-cut sapphire weighing 11.90 carats, accented by old European and single-cut diamonds, size 6, signed Cartier N.Y., numbered 1209; circa 1915.

Finally, the jewelry highlights are the real stars of the sale, in my opinion. As the cover star of the catalogue, an elegant emerald, sapphire, lapis lazuli and diamond pendant-necklace, designed by Charles Jacqueau for Cartier, Paris (est. $1.8 to 2.2 million) evokes the extravagance as well as the magnificence of the Art Deco era. The Mughal-style necklace, whose pendant suspends from a pear-shaped emerald a carved Kashmir sapphire and a carved emerald, was originally purchased by Baron Eugène de Rothschild for his new wife, Catherine Wolff, whom he married in 1924. Strung with 41 sapphire beads predominantly of Kashmir origin, the striking design by Cartier’s chief designer is a brilliantly blend of Eastern and Western motifs popular during the period.

Elegant and Rare Platinum, Emerald, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli and Diamond Pendant-Necklace, Designed by Charles Jacqueau for Cartier, Paris, circa 1924 – In the style of Mughal Empire art, the necklace combining elements of Indian and Persian decorative traditions, the pendant suspending a hexagon-shaped emerald, an oval-shaped sapphire and a pear-shaped emerald, all carved with Mughal floral motifs, completed by a necklace composed of 41 sapphire beads, spaced by 80 lapis lazuli beads and diamond-set rondelles, further applied with diamond and lapis lazuli accents, length 29 inches, adjustable, signed Cartier, Paris, numbered 0310, with French assay and partial workshop marks; circa 1924.

The necklace is followed by another of Cartier’s masterpieces from the Art Deco era, one of the Maison’s iconic ‘Tutti Frutti’ bracelets (est. $1.3 to 1.8 million). No two ‘tutti frutti’ bracelets are alike, and the one in this sale is composed for carved rubies and emeralds blooming from diamond-set branches outlined with black enamel. The current record price for a Cartier ‘Tutti Frutti’ bracelet is $2,165,000 set by the sale of Evelyn H. Lauder’s bracelet at Sotheby’s in December 2014.

Before Art Deco jewels were a la mode, Archaeological-Revival was all the rage during the late 19th century and Castellani was the name to beat. The sale includes two historic and important pieces made by the renowned Italian jeweler famous for making archaeological-revival jewels: the Archaeological-Revival Gold ‘Millefiori’ Brooch, circa 1860 (est. $85,000 to 95,000); and an Archaeological-Revival gold and hardstone cameo brooch, circa 1880 (est. $75,000 to 85,000)

Archaeological-Revival Gold ‘Millefiori’ Brooch, Castellani – Of bombé form, decorated with a standing putto and four doves within an elaborate cluster of flower heads, the border decorated with twisted wire and beading, signed with interlaced C’s; circa 1860.

Archaeological-Revival Gold and Hardstone Cameo Brooch, Castellani – The rose and cream-colored agate cameo carved in high relief with the profile of Dionysus, mounted in gold as a bar brooch decorated with reeding and wirework, the cameo signed A. Mastini, the mounting signed with interlaced Cs; circa 1880.